


When in London

by ShadowRese



Series: 52 Persona Stories in 52 Weeks [5]
Category: Persona 4, Persona Series
Genre: 52 Short Stories in 52 Weeks, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Love Confessions, M/M, Set in London, Souji Stays in Inaba
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 16:29:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8852053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowRese/pseuds/ShadowRese
Summary: Three simple little words, eight letters, and Yosuke's going to say them to the wall.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Week 5: Set in London

Two hundred fifty nine steps. Yosuke counts each step in that spiral staircase as he climbs, feet carrying him ever higher, round and round, head going dizzy before he is even halfway up. The feeling certainly matches the tumultuous emotions that swirl within him. He's planned and prepared for this moment since he'd learned the third years would be taking their class trip to London. Today is the day he will confess his feelings to his partner, his best friend. And in pure Yosuke fashion, he's going to do it from across the room, where he won't have to meet Souji’s grey eyes as he does it. 

 

The Whispering Gallery is one of the top spots in Souji’s list of sights to see in London, and the brunette intends to take full advantage of the unique architecture and say the words he's been feeling for more than a year now. I love you. Three simple little words, eight letters, and he's going to say them to the wall. According to the guide book, his voice should carry to the opposite end of the round, and then it'll be out. No taking his secret back after this. 

 

“... feeling ok?”

 

Yosuke looks up dazedly, realizes they've reached the circular area, and that Souji’s been speaking to him. He tries to smile reassuringly at the silver haired boy, but he knows the grin doesn't sit right on his face, feels the muscles in his cheeks pulling awkwardly, tightening into something more resembling a death rictus than a happy smile. Clearing his throat, he tries for casual.

 

“Heh, yeah, I'm good partner. Just feeling a bit winded I guess.”

 

Ever the considerate, caring one, Souji places his hand on the shorter boy’s shoulder. “Let's sit awhile, then. Give everyone else a chance to test it out first.”

 

Nodding mutely, Yosuke allows himself to be pushed down gently onto a bench in front of the railing. He doesn't have much time to think about anything, though, before the rest of the third year class comes thundering in behind the pair. 

 

“Ugh, you are so lazy,” Chie complains as she passes him in her haste to make it to the other side of the room before anyone else. 

 

Opening his mouth, Yosuke notices Souji frowning at him slightly, and he promptly shuts it again, biting back on the retort he'd had in mind. No, today he will not rise to the bait, he will be an adult, admitting to his feelings, and not engaging in adolescent insults. 

 

Yukiko nods to the pair of boys sympathetically as she takes up her place across from where Chie has positioned herself, and Yosuke deliberately tunes them out. He sees Kou and Daisuke laughing a ways off, probably thinking up some stupid, dirty joke to tell the stone walls. Idiots, all of them. Souji is watching them all with a fond smile, however, and Yosuke can't help but relax a bit. 

 

“What do you think Yukiko is telling Chie?” Souji asks him conspiratorially, and Yosuke answers with a smirk. They spend the next half hour laughing about it, making up increasingly wilder stories about what their friends are using the Whispering Gallery for. It's fun, and so uniquely them, that the brunette almost forgets what it is he's here for, falling easily into comfortable companionship with his best friend. 

 

It's not until Ms. Kashiwagi calls out shrilly that he's brought crashing back to reality. “Ok, everyone, wrap it up. We've got a lot of other places to get to today!” Their teacher saunters back towards the staircase, and the boys hear her muttering under her breath as she passes about damn kids interfering with her nightlife. 

 

“Oh, we didn't get a chance to give it a go,” Souji sighs sadly. The taller boy stands to leave, and Yosuke can see his chance slipping through his fingertips, floating away on the air like the misty drizzle outside. 

 

“Wait!” He shoots up off of the bench seat like a rocket from a bottle on New Year’s. “Uh, we can still do this! You, um… you wait here. In faster than you anyway partner.” And leaving Souji access to the door in case he decides to beat a hasty retreat away from Yosuke seems like a good idea. 

 

He doesn't wait for a reply, choosing instead to turn his back and sprint to the opposite end of the gallery. His heart is thundering in his chest by the time he gets there, knocking a steady rhythm against his ribcage that has nothing to do with physical exertion. Yosuke can feel those steel grey eyes boring a hole into his skull. Now that he's here, he doesn't know if he can go through with this. Where all his previous confidence has gone, he's not sure, but it must have slipped out the door with the rest of the third year class. His hands flap uselessly at his sides, and the wall of course, remains stubbornly silent, offering no assistance. Stupid wall. 

 

“Yosuke-”

 

“Ah!” He jumps, because it's true, he can hear Souji’s concerned voice almost as clearly as if they were standing face to face. “Stop, just me a sec.” Turning back, he sees Souji nod at him gently, patient as ever. He's too far away to see properly, but Yosuke hopes he's not imagining the encouraging look his partner is sending his way. 

 

Taking or shaking breath, the brunette faces the stone wall once more. “I've needed to day this for awhile, partner, but you know me. I can always say everything but the right thing.”

 

“Yosuke-”

 

“No, shh, I'm not done. And you're probably gonna hate me once this is out, but if I don't tell you, it's gonna kill me.”

 

“You don't have to-”

 

“Oh my god partner, will you shut up? I'm trying to tell you I love you here!” No sooner don't the words roll off his tongue than Yosuke slaps his hand over his big mouth. No, no, no. This is not how he wanted to do this. It was supposed to be a heartfelt, emotional confession, something worthy of a person as amazing as Souji. Leave it to the prince of disappointment to screw everything up.

 

It's too late to salvage this, he knows it, but he's damn well going to try. “Souji, I-”

 

“You love me?”

 

“Um, yeah? I mean, yeah, yes, I love you. Sorry, I know you don't feel the same way. And I don't expect anything from you, but I had to tell you.”

 

Souji’s breathy chuckle is a sweet balm to Yosuke's fraught nerves. “I love you too, you dork. I was planning on telling you tonight at the Royal Festival Hall.”

 

“Huh? You do? You were?” Suddenly he feels ridiculous, realizing he's still literally conversing with a brick wall. 

 

“Hanamura! Seta! While I'm still in my twenties!” Kashiwagi shouts from the bottom of the staircase. 

 

“Little late for that,” Yosuke mutters. Both boys snicker, breaking the awkwardness. 

 

“Come on,” Souji laughs, “before she gets a wrinkle.”

 

The walk back seems so much shorter than the way forward, and soon, too soon, Yosuke is standing in front of Souji, amber eyes wide and hopeful. And then Souji takes his hand, and he's so warm, and their fingers fit together so perfectly that Yosuke forgets why he ever thought confessing would be a bad idea. 

 

“Let's go, we can talk on the way, ok?” 

 

Nodding in assent, Yosuke allows himself to be lead from the Whispering Gallery. And maybe it's stupid, because he's in London, across the ocean, and so far from home, but somehow, he's also exactly where he belongs.


End file.
